1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control means for utility vehicles, in particular for tractors usable for agricultural purposes, having a switching element carrier, arranged in proximity to the leading end region of an arm rest of the driver's seat, for a group of switching elements comprising a large number of switches for controlling various vehicle units, which carrier has a hand rest provided with a spherical surface for the palm of the vehicle driver's hand.
2. Description of Related Art
Control means of this type are intended not only to make the vehicle easier to operate for the driver of the vehicle but also to offer him effective driving comfort, his arm and hand being in a relaxed position, with a large number of actuating elements, such as pushbuttons and switches, provided for the actuation of various vehicle units, arranged so as to be as ergonomically advantageous as possible.
A control means meeting these requirements to a high degree is described in EP 0 813 993 B1. This document discloses a switching element carrier having a spherically shaped hand rest carrying a large number of actuating elements. These are basically pushbuttons or rocker switches for the rapid raising of a front tool carried by the front hoisting gear, the interruption of all functions and the rapid raising of a rear mounted implement carried by the rear hoisting gear. It should be noted in this regard that the rocker switches for the rapid removal of the front and rear mounted implements are also used for controlling the lowering thereof into the working position. This document does not refer to a console which is arranged next to the arm rest on the side wall of the driver's cabin and carries further actuating elements. These further actuating elements include two actuating elements for the setting or adjusting of the desired values of the front and rear hoisting gears, i.e. for inputting the desired working position of the tools. This known arrangement forces the driver, whenever a change in the working position is desirable or necessary, to release his hand from the hand rest and to swivel his right forearm to the console in order to reach the actuating elements. Once the respective actuating element has been set, the driver has to pivot back his forearm before he can place his hand on the hand rest and optionally actuate the pushbutton for the rapid raising of the front or rear mounted implement.
Starting from this, the object of the invention is to improve a control means of the type described at the outset by increasing the degree of operational and driving comfort for the driver.